Child&#39;s slide



Jan. 15, 1929. 1 LA Y 1,699,066

M. G. HILPERT cHILDs SLIDE Filed oct. 31. 1925 i i i Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

UNITED STATES TIER G. HILPERT, 0F BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHILDS SLIDE.

Application me@ October 31, 1925. Serial No. 65,991.

This invention relates to exercising and amusement slides for children, and relates more particularly to slides of this type which are adapted to be easily portable by a child and to utilize as supports such articles as stairways, chairs, beds, tablesand the like.

The present invention is a modification of or improvement over the childs slide disclosed in my cr fpericlilig application Serial No. 619,966, filed July (i, 1923.

It is an object of this invention to cheapen and simplify the construction of a slide of the general type disclosed in said prior appli cation, without sacrificing its strength or durability. i

It is a further object of this invention to provide a slide with a delivery platform pivoted thereto which may he folded back against the body of the slide in such a manner as to permit easy packing, storing or shipping thereof.

It .is a further object of this invention to provide a slide with wheels whereby it can ,i

be trundled from place to place by a child.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this speciiication, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view cfa slide constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1;v

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a detail View of a portion of Figure l; l

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5; and y Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line 7--7 of Figure 1.

A slide constructed according to the present invention has many features in common with the slide disclosed in my prior application referred to above, these features being more particularly described in said prior application. Thus according to both the present and the prior inventions, the slide is of such weight that it can be easily handled and transported by a child, and is of such length that it can be readily passed thru an ordinary doorway or stored in a closet of usual size.` The slide is so constructed that it will bear normally at both its ends on surfaces at various elevations, andmay be supported at .its upper end on various articles such as a tread of a stairway, a table-top, a bed, orthe like, without fear of slipping, nos ecial sup` porting means being required. le slide is convexly curved at its upper end to afford a seat for the child when mounting the slide and starting to coast, and also to afford a clearance space between the slide and the front edge of the latvsurface on which its u per end is supported. The slide is concavely curved at its lower end so that it may rest on a fiat surface such as a floor and` discharge the child substantially tangentially thereto with out any drop.` At its upper and lower endsv the slide isprovided with transverse bearing members which project laterally from the sides ofthe slide, thus adding to thesta-` bility ofthe slide, keeping it out of contact with hase-boards, etc., and rendering it irnpossible for the child to pinch its fingers between the slide and the base-board.

The slide of the present invention differs from that disclosed in mysaid prior applicay tion in that it is provided with a relatively rigid delivery platform hinged thereto at its lower end. This plat-form is preferably long enough so that the child will come to a stop Awhile still on the platform, thereby preventinv injury to the child from contact with y roug surfacesand lessening wear and tear on its clothes. The pivotal connection between the slide and the platform is such that the platform may be folded into the bed or channel of the slide in such position as to lie flat against the flat portion of the slide. This construction enables the slidesto be stacked one on top of the other in stores or warehouses, and facilitates packing, shipping and storing of the slide. Moreover, instead of rounding the under surfaces of the transverse end bearing members, they are provided with rubber buttons preferably Vhernispherical in shape, which construction serves the same purpose of giving normal, nonslipping support at much less expense. A further improvement is that one end of the slide is provided with small wheels, which enable it to be trundled from 10e place to place by a small child. The construe tion of the slide is also simplified in many re-` spects, one particularly important change being that the conveXly curved seat portion is formed of sheet metal. This obviates the new cessity of steaming and bending the hard maple slats forming the slideway, thus materially reducing the cost of manufacture of the slide.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in which like reference characters denote like parts throughout the several views there of, my improved slide comprises a pair of side flanges or beams 10', upper and lower t 'ansverse end bearing members 11, cross members 12, slats 18 forming the slideway or channel of the slide, and a portion 1&1.

The end bearing members 11 and the cross members 12 may be secured to the under sides of the side flanges 10 in any suitable manner. These parts are preferably made of wood, in which case ordinary wood screws or nails may be employed as the fastening means. The shape and positioning of these members are clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The longitudinal slats 13, preferably of nard straight grained maple, extend from the top cross member 12, to the lower bearing member 11, and form the slideway of the slide. The lower ends of the slats 13 are slightly curved as shown in Figure 7 in order to deliver the child substantially tangentially as above explained, but this slight curve may be made without expensive steaming and bending operations. rlhe slats may be secured to the uppercross member 12 by wood screws or clinch nails 15, as these are subsequently covered by the seat portion 14, and the slats adjacent the beams 10 may be secured to the lower cross members by suitable roundhead counter-sunk screws or round-head clinch nails 16 as these are in such position that the childs clothes will not catch thereon. If screws or nails were used to fasten down the intermediate slats 13, however, they would be apt to catch the childs clothingand rip the same, as even though they were originally carefully counter-sunh they might loosen in time. To secure these intermediate slats to the cross members, therefore, I employ a fastener 17 which is more particularly shown in Figures 5 and 6. This fastener 17 comprises a strip of thin sheet metal the sides of which adjacent its ends are provided with sharp teeth or serrations 18. This strip is bent to the shape shown in Figure 6, and one of these fasteners is placed around each of the lower cross members 12 between each pair of slats 13. As shown in Figure 6, these fasteners are of such size as to come below the top surface of the adjacent slats 13, so that there will. be no danger of the ehilds clothing catching thereon.

In assembling the slide, the cross members 12 and the lower bearing member 11 are first properly spaced, and one of the outer slats 13 fastened in place by screws or nails 15 and 16. One of the fasteners 17 is then slipped over each of the lower cross members 12 adiacent thereto. The nent slat 13 is then placed on'top of the cross members l2 and forced sidewise by means of a suitable'cl amp until the teeth 1S bite into the wood of the two slats asshown in Figure 5. The Slat thus placed may then be secured tothe top cross member 12 by screws This process is continued until the last slat 13 has been thus placed, 'when it may bc secured to the lower cross members by screws 16. lt will thus be seen that the fasteners 1'.7 serve the triple purpose of fastening the slats 13 to the cross members 12 and to each other and spacing them the proper distance apart. The assembled unit thus formed is then nailed or screwed to the side flanges 10 and the upper bearing member 11 with the seat portion l-l in place.

It will be noted that the middle slats l? are not secured to the lower end bearing member 11. For the reasons above stated, it would be inadvisable to use screws at this point, and if fasteners 17 were employed, i: would be necessary to cut grooves in the member 11 to receive the same, as otherwise they would project slightly at the end of the slide. Since the slats 13 are curved at this end, their natural resiliency will hold them tightlyv the member 11, and ilastening means may therefore be safely dispensed with as a matter of economy and ease of manufacture. lt is to be understood, however, that fasteners 17 could be used here if desired, and also that these fasteners might be employed on the top cross member 12 and between the outer slats 13 and the side beams 10.

The transverse bearing members 11 cil'.- tend beyond the side iianges 10 at each end of the slide, and are proifided with a plurality of hemispherical rubber buttons 19 on the bottoms thereof, which serve as convex bearing surfaces as described in my prior application. referred to above. The end bearing member 11 at the lower end of the slide may if desired be provided with smallrubber-tired wheels 20 which may be rotatablyT mounted thereon in any suitable manner. These wheels permit the child. to trundle the slide from point to pointby grzspinc" the extended portions of the upper end l'ieai'ing member 11.

ln order to cheapen the construction of the slide as above explained, the seat portion 1liat the upper end of the slide is prefeinblj.1 formed of a rectangular piece of sheet metal bent to the` forni shown in Figure l, and cX- tends from the upper end bearing men'ibcr l 1 to the upper cross member 12. As best shown in Figure 3, this piece of sheet metal is fa. tened at either side under the si de flanges 10. and between the same and the top cross member 12. lt is l @ned to cover the upper ends of the slats 13 so that the child is delivered smoothly from the seat portion to the s ideway of the slide. The seat 14.-. is provided with a central longitudinal groove 21 as shown in Figures 1 anc 3, and may be secured to the top cross member 12 by means of a nail or similar fastening device 22 situated transverse end bearing member 11 as illustrated in Figure 4. This construction veryv much lessenstlie cost of manufacture of the slide, as it obvi'ates the necessity of steaming the slats 13 to the shapeof the curved seat portion, and also shortens the same for a given length of theslide.

A straight delivery platform 25 is hinged to the lower end of the slide, and is adapted to lie flat upon the ground or floor on which the child is delivered by the slide.

The child will have stopped before it reaches the end `of the platform 25, and this will eliminate the excessive wear on its clothing and the possibility of injury which are present when the child is delivered on a rough surface, as for example, a concrete sidewalk or a sliveiy wooden floor.` The construction of the platforl 25 may be substantially similar to that of the slideway. That is, it is lconstructed of longitudinal slats 26 held together by cross `members 27, andthe securing means may be similar to those above described.

In order that the slide may be readily packed for shipment -or storage and also may be stacked one on` topof each other in stores and Warehouses, it is desirable that the flat platform 25 should lie against the flat por` tion of the slide when folded. In order to accomplish this purpose, it is necessary that a sliding hinge construction be provided which` will enable the pivoted end of the platform 25 to be moved up adjacent the lower end of the straight portion of the slide. A structure suitable for this purpose is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 7, and comprises bent rods 30 inserted into holes in the upper cross member 27 of the platform, and having eyes 31 formed at their free ends, through which is passed a transverse rod 32. The ends of the rod 32 are doubled over as shown at 33 after it has been put in place in order to prevent it from slipping out of the eyes 31. The transverse rod 32 is mounted to slide freely in the direction of the length of the slide on the under side thereof, between the lower' cross member 12 and the lower end bearing member 11. When the rod 32 is in its lowest position and the platform 25 swung out-Wards, the platform 25 will form a continuation of the slide. When it is desired to fold up the slide, the platform 25 is swung up against the same, which is permitted by the eyes 31 rotating on the rod 32, and the rod 32 is then moved into its upper position shown in dotted lines in Figure 7, when the platform 25 will fit against the flat portion of the slide as there shown. The rods 30 are mounted above the lower end nbearing member 11, and fit in the spaces between the side flanges 1Q andthe adjacent i SllatS 13.

Many alterations or modifications might be iliade in the structure `above described without departing from the spirit of my invention, and such changes as fall within the scope of the appended claims are wit-hinthe intent of my invention.

Having thus described `t-he invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: j

1. A cliilds exercising and amusement slide comprising in combination, a pair of side flanges, a plurality of cross members secured thereto, a plurality of longitudinal slats forming the slideway of the slide, and metallic members having serrated edges adapted to bite into the sides of said slats and maintain them in fixed relationship, `said members being positioned below the top surface of said slats.

2. A childs exercising and amusement i slide comprising in combination, a. pair of side flanges, a plurality ofcross members secured thereto, a plurality of longitudinal slats forming the slideway of the slide, and a plurality of substantially U-sliaped metal strip-s with serrated end portions for securing said slats to the cross members and to each other.

3. A childs exercising and amusement slide having a convexly curved seat portion at its upper end and `comprising in combination, a pair of side flanges, a plurality of cross members secured thereto, a plurality of longitudinal slats forming the slideway of the slide, and a curved sheetmetal member formoverlapping said slats.

4. A cliilds exercising and amusement slide having transverseend bearing members secured to the under side thereof at each end and projecting laterally therefrom, and a plurality of rounded rubber buttons secured to the bottom surface of each of said bearing members, whereby the slide may be supported normally on surfaces at various elevations. j

5. A childs exercising and amusement slide having transverse end bearing members secured to the under side thereof at each end and projecting laterally therefrom, and a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on one of said end bearing members, whereby the slide can be trundled from place to place.

6. In combination with a childs exercising and amusement slide having a curved lower end and provided with a slot, a relatively rigid flat delivery platform. and means for pivoting said platform to the lower end of said slide, said means comprising a transverse rod adapted to move longitudinally of said slide on the under side thereof, and a connecting member pivotally secured to said rod, extending through said slot and pivoted to said platform. 1

7. In combination with a childs exercising and amusement slide, a relativelyrigid delivery platform, and means for pivoting said platform to the lowerl end of said slide, said means comprising a transverse member mounted for sliding movement longitudinally of the slide on the under side thereof, and a pair of connecting links each pivotally secured at one end to said transverse member, and at the other to said platform.

S. In combination with a childs exercisq ing and amusement slide, havingl a straight portion and a curved lower end and provided with side flanges, a relatively rigid deliveryT platform, means slidingly and pivotally connecting said platform to the lower end of said slide, whereby the platform may be folded so as to overlie the face of the slide, and extend back onto the straight portion between the side flanges.

9. The combination with a childs exercising and amusement slide having a straight portion and curved lower end portion, of a delivery platform forming a continuation of said lower end, and slidable link means securing said platform to the slide for retrad tion into the slide to a position adjacent said straight portion.

10. A childs exercising and amusement slide, comprising in combination, a pair of side flanges, a plurality of longitudinal slats forming the slideway of the slide, each of said side flanges being spaced from its adjacent slat leaving a slot therebetween, a delivery platform forming a continuation of the lower end of the slide and of less width than the slide, and means extending through said slots and securing said platform to the slide for retraction into the slide to a position spaced from said end.

11. The combination with a childs exercising and amusement slide, of a delivery platform forming a continuation of the lower end of the slide and comprising a plurality of transversely spaced slats, and means secur ing said platform to the slide for folding back onto the surface of said slide, with the slide surface of the platform adjacent the `slide surface of the slide.

12. The combination with a childs exercising and amusement slide, of a delivery platform forming a continuation of the lower end of the slide and comprising a plurality of longitudinal slats, a plurality of cross members to which said'slats are secured, and metallic members having serrated edges adapted to bite into the sides of said slats and maintain them in fixed relationship, said members being positioned below the top surface of said slats.

13. The combination with a ehilds exercising and amusement slide, of a delivery platform forming a continuation of the lower end of the slide and comprising a plurality or loi-igitudinal slats, a plurality of cross members to which said slats are secured, and metallic members having serrated edges adapted to bite into the sides of said slats and maintain them in fixed relationship, said me1nbers being positioned below the top surface of ,said slats, and a plurality of substantially U-shaped metal strips with serrated end portions for securing said slats to the cross members and to each other.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.

MEIER G. I-IILPERT. 

